MONROVIA – At long last, the Government of Liberia (GOL), through the Ministry of Labour, has ended the long-standing impasse between the management of Arcelor Mittal Liberia and its workers, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) maintaining the previous mandate to increase the salaries of employees at the company.
By Obediah Johnson
The United Workers Union of Liberia (UWUL) is the mother union representing employees at AML.
It can be recalled that on April 11 this year, the Ministry of Labour rendered a ruling in the complaint filed by UWUL for and on behalf of aggrieved workers of AML against the company’s management.
The Union called for salary increment, alarmed over salary disparities and unfavorable position/job grading at the company.
The ministry previously rendered the ruling in favor of the workers, but the management of AML took an exception to the ruling and filed an appeal to the National Labour Court of Liberia.
While the appeal was pending at the court, labour unrest erupted at AML paralyzing normal operations at the company.
The workers staged a go slow action demanding that their concerns filed to the Ministry of Labour are addressed in a timely manner.
The situation again prompted the government’s intervention.
Up to the end of last week, several meetings aimed at resolving the impasse between AML management and their workers were held and presided over by the Ministers of State for Presidential Affairs, Justice, Labour and the Director General of the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC), Blamo Wesseh, Frank Musa Dean, Charles H. Gibson, and Edwin Dennis respectively.
As a result of government’s intervention, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Monrovia on Monday, May 29, by authorities of the parties involved to bring the matter to a logical conclusion.
Mr. Jozephus Coenen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arcelor Mittal-Liberia signed on behalf of his company, while Dave J. Sneh Secretary General of UWUL, and Chea R. Brooks of the local union at AML signed on behalf of their respective institutions.
Edwin N. Dennis, Director General of the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC), and the Minister Charles Gibson attested to the document on behalf of the Liberian government.
In the MOU, the parties resolved that there will be a 3% increment in the salaries of all union workers retroactive beginning from August 1, 2021.
“The issues of salary disparity and position grading will be corrected by a special committee comprised of the MOL, NBC, AML management and AML workers, which process is to continue after the signing of the MOU and concluded within 30 days thereafter, consistent with the MOL ruling of April 11, 2023.”
The MOU also called for all outstanding bonuses to workers to be settled by AML management within 30 days from the date the MOU was signed, and retroactive as of August 1, 2021, based on target achieved.
It mandated AML management to revert and restore all deductions made from union workers salaries as a consequence of the impasse that obtained and led to some workers staying away from work.
Meanwhile, the management of AML has committed to withdraw its appeal pending at the National Labour Court of Liberia as a result of the signing of the MOU.
The latest intervention made by the government, through the Ministry of Labour, reaps a win-win situation for all parties.